Terms of Reference (TOR) for consultancy services to review and update the policies and procedures of the NGO partners

Terms of Reference (TOR) for consultancy services to review and update the policies and procedures related to HR/Admin, Procurement and Finance of the NGO partners working with Heifer Project International Nepal (HPI/N)

Background: 

Heifer Project International Nepal (HPI/N) is an International Non-Government Organization (INGO) working in Nepal since 1997. It works under general agreement with the Social Welfare Council of Nepal. It is the branch office of Heifer International, USA. Its headquarters is in Little Rock, USA. HPI/N works with a mission of ending hunger and poverty while caring for the earth. It works primarily in the agricultural sector, focusing on goat, dairy and vegetable value chains, promoting livelihoods. Women farmers are primary project beneficiaries. 

HPI/N is a non-profit entity and works in close coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Nepal.  Heifer Project International Nepal has recognized that its implementing partner NGOs need to update/upgrade their policy and procedures manual to comply with the requirements of local laws (Labor, Tax Laws and Public Procurement Act) and meet the requirement by generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and the Nepal Accounting Standards (NAS) for non-profit organizations.

Objective:  

Review and update the existing policies related to HR/Admin., Procurement and Finance  of Heifer’s partner organizations to make it up to the standard of “Nepal Accounting Standard (NAS)” and the “Generally Acceptable Accounting Principles (GAAP)” and develop the policy manual (if any of the policy manuals are not available with the organization) by incorporating the minimum requirement as per the local labor law, tax rule, donors (such as safeguarding, money laundering, anti-human trafficking and others, and as recommended during the due diligence (if any), and government of Nepal, etc., and the international standard of accounting practices, if any and as required.   

Scope of work: 

Assess the existing operational procedures and practices and identify gaps and areas, which may require improvement or strengthening and develop a new policy and procedures manual.

The following are the tasks that needs to be performed: 

• Review background documents, which include the due diligence report, current labor and the tax laws, government requirements and the requirement of the Heifer Project International Nepal such as anti-terrorist financing, safeguarding policy, fraud and conflict of interest policies and trafficking policies, etc., which should be part of the HR and financial manual (the majority of the bilateral and multilateral donors require inclusion of these policies in the policy manuals of the organizations to receive financial assistance) and other-donor requirements.
• Review the available policy procedures of the NGOs (partner organizations), the forms and formats in use and share the findings from the review with the Heifer Project International (HPI/N) Nepal and respective NGO management, including the board.
• Familiarize the NGO management and the board on current labor laws, taxation and procurement policies of the government, including the requirement of HPI/N and the current gaps in the existing policy manuals of the NGOs.  Coordinate and seek guidance from the Sr. Finance Manager, the HR and Admin Manager and the Director of Finance before providing recommendations to the NGO board and the management for the policy update.
• Ensure a participatory process and discuss the identified gap with HPI/N and the NGO team before drafting/updating the policy and procedures manual, recommending any things, addition of any new forms/formats.  
• Develop/update and finalize the policy procedures manuals, orient 12 NGO (3 NGOs per cluster office) board members and the management on the drafted manual and obtain approval, and or help implementing partner NGOs to get these documents approved by the board and management.

Duration: The contract period is from the 21st of October 2024 to 20th of November 2024.

Payment Terms: Heifer Project International Nepal will cover the cost as agreed upon between the parties.

Deliverables: The consultant/consultancy firm is expected to deliver, at the minimum, the following outputs: 

• An inception work plan within a week of commencement of the assignment. 
• Approved revised manuals as listed above. 
• Train staff on the new policies and procedure manuals and submit a report to HPI/N.

Proposal Submission: 

Interested qualified firms are invited to submit a proposal that includes the following: 

• An understanding of the requirements 
• Methodology and work plan for performing the assignment, including the budget 
• Project delivery plans 
• Team composition with CV and task assignment 
• Detailed reference list indicating the scope and magnitude of similar assignments 
• Relevant services undertaken in the past three (3) years 
• Firm Registration certificate
• VAT Registration certificate
• Tax Clearance Certificate FY 079/80
• Technical and financial proposals will need to be submitted as separate documents. 

Supervision: The consultant will report to the Director of Finance in Kathmandu, but he/she will closely work with the officers mentioned above, the field program managers and the finance officers of the four cluster offices of HPI/N.  

Interested firm should submit their technical and financial proposals including above mentioned documents by 5 : 00 pm, October 8, 2024 to  Procurement-NP@heifer.org with the subject line mentioning “Proposal For Implementing Partner Policy Update Services”.

Note: VAT register firms are encouraged to apply.

Any telephone inquiries or other inquiries would not be entertained. However, after selection of the consulting firm a kick-off meeting will be organized with the service provider.

Disclaimer: The material arising from the contract shall be the property of Heifer Project International Nepal (HPI/N) and cannot be used without the prior approval of Heifer Project International, Nepal in writing.